Long rumoured but now confirmed, Tasca has a U.S. Medium Tank M4A3E8 Sherman “Easy Eight” w/ T66 Tracks on the way ( kit number 35020 ).
The M4A3E8 “Easy Eight” appeared at the end of World War II equipped with suspended suspension, and newly designed wide and vertical tracks (HVSS) for improved driving performance. It can be said this to be the final evolutionary Sherman.
The M4A3 (76) W kit has new hull (top and bottom) and new turret.
The T66 single pin-type was the most common track for the “Easy Eight” in the Second World War.
HVSS suspension has movable parts to reproduce swinging action of the suspension.
Kit includes workable two part individual link T66 tracks.
Upper Hull is the late version with top front armor and wide positioned tow hooks.
Late model 76mm gun turret modified with the oval loader hatch.
Choice of two types of 76mm gun, one with muzzle break and one without.
The Cupola`s vision block includes accurately reproduced transparent parts.
Etched parts for periscope guard and light guard.
Includes M2 machine gun on the turret, and U.S. Jerry cans.
Four types of U.S. military Markings provided for northwest Europe 1944-1945.
Model kit does not include a figure.
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I’m happy to see Tasca’s new M4A3EB.
It will allow more accurate modeling of my late father’s Easy Eight, #37, for which he was driver and crew mechanic in the 3rd Pltn, A Co., 15th TB, 6th AD, from mid-January through June, 1945. He and the tank were replacements during the Battle of the Bulge.
Late April-May, 1945 photos of three (four?) sides of #37 — or “Hank’s Tank” as it has come to be called in recent years — made after the division halted offensive operations in eastern Germany to await the Russian advance show the stowage modifications my father made. They are posted at http://community.webshots.com/album/556426219QvINBj?start=0. The photos include crew members, other platoon members — including the tank commander of #34 “Army Mule” and 3rd Pltn Sgt. Frank Kotoski — and #26 “Aquino”, which is parked beside #37. #s 26, 34, and 37 were in the same platoon. (Are three WW2 Army vehicles from the same platoon modeled besides these? What a diorama that combination would make!)
There are two sources of transfers/decals for modeling “Hank’s Tank” — Bison at http://www.angelfire.com/pro/bison/35038.html — and Archer at http://www.archertransfers.com/AR35277.html (the latter include the markings stenciled below the driver’s hatch, which were digitally determined by a researcher at the Kentucky Historial Society).
Did I mention that I’m happy to see Tasca’s new M4A3EB?
Joe Burgess
Son of the late Henry “Hank” Burgess of Kentucky
Well it would be the obvious follow up so wouldn’t surprise me. I’m interested to see if they have a DD in the owrks. They won’t say they do or they don’t, only “no plans for the immediate future”. How immediate are we talking.
Yeah, I’d say it’s only really an issue for Shermaholics haha
I wonder how long until we see Tasca release a M4A3E8 with the 105mm howitzer?
Well it says “The M4A3 (76) W kit has new hull (top and bottom) and new turret”, so hopefully that means they may have rectified that.
It will be interesting to see if Tasca use the same components for this from their recent M4A3(76)W kit (35-019), an early criticism of that kit is that it is missing foundry marks on the transmission and mantlet, or whether Tasca will rectify the issue for the new M4A3E8 by casting new parts. Anyway, I might get a couple to model as knocked out in the Battle of the Bulge diorama